Extra Time to Reel in The Big One! WA & OR Chinook Season Extended

It's awesome news for folks who love to fish in the PNW. With upriver spring Chinook returning on track to come in higher than originally predicted, Oregon and Washington fishery managers have added more recreational fishing days on the Columbia River.

Biologists now expect 155,500 adult spring Chinook to return this year—up from the initial forecast of 122,500. That means more opportunity for anglers while staying within conservation limits.

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• The daily limit is 2 adult hatchery salmonids per day (Chinook or steelhead), however, only one can be a Chinook.

“I’m just happy we could have both areas open for the Memorial Day holiday weekend,” said Tucker Jones, ODFW’s Ocean Salmon and Columbia River Program Manager. “Hopefully folks can get out and enjoy themselves on the water.”

Open dates, and areas are listed below:

Below Bonneville Dam
Dates: Friday, may 23rd through Thursday, June 12th
Open area: Tongue Point/Rocky Point line to Beacon Rock (and only bank fishing from Beacon Rock to the Bonneville Dam deadline)

Above Bonneville Dam
Dates: Thursday, May 22nd through Sunday, June 15th
Open area: Tower Island power lines (approximately six miles below the Dalles Dam) upstream to the Oregon/Washington border, plus only the Oregon and Washington banks from Bonneville Dam upstream to the Tower Island power lines.

Fishing on the Columbia River is a bucket list MUST for a lot of us. Can you believe I've NEVER fished the Columbia River?

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• People are reminded to check the latest on Columbia River fishing regulations here.